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Manchester City stand just one victory away from a fourth consecutive FA Cup final appearance, with Championship outfit Southampton standing in their way in this Saturday's semifinal at Wembley Stadium.
Only one of City's previous three appearances at the showpiece event has resulted in silverware, though they have already tasted Wembley success this season by defeating Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final. They are heavy favorites to see off Southampton and go on to claim the trophy against either Leeds United or Chelsea.
Having reclaimed top spot in the Premier League with a narrow midweek victory over Burnley—City's fifth consecutive win across all competitions—spirits are high as Pep Guardiola and his squad pursue a domestic treble.
Rodri Uncertainty Persists
Rodri is thought to have escaped a serious injury after suffering a groin strain during last weekend's victory over Arsenal. Nevertheless, the Spaniard sat out the midweek fixture and his availability for the Wembley trip remains uncertain.
Rodri joins central defensive duo Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol on the treatment table, with the former sidelined for the past month and the latter out since the beginning of January.
James Trafford is set to reclaim his spot as City's cup goalkeeper, while Nico González could be handed a starting role to fill the void left by Rodri's potential absence.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Southampton (4-2-3-1)
GK: James Trafford—Trafford's comeback at City hasn't unfolded as anticipated, yet Guardiola has continued to trust him as the backup option during domestic cup campaigns at Wembley.
RB: Matheus Nunes—Guardiola will be hesitant to tinker too much with a winning setup, particularly given the ample recovery time before their next match. Consequently, Nunes, who struggled against Burnley, gets an opportunity to bounce back.
CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—The loss of Dias and Gvardiol has been softened by Khusanov's standout displays—the Uzbekistan international is flourishing during his second stint in Manchester.
CB: Marc Guéhi—Guéhi missed the Carabao Cup final due to cup-tied status, but he is no stranger to FA Cup glory. The ex-Crystal Palace defender beat City in last season's final.
LB: Nico O'Reilly—O'Reilly looks set to reclaim the left back berth this weekend, the role from which he netted twice in last month's Carabao Cup final triumph.
DM: Nico González—González has been limited to substitute appearances since Rodri's recovery, but his compatriot's potential absence this weekend could hand him a starting opportunity.
DM: Bernardo Silva—Silva's farewell season at City is shaping up to be one for the history books. The Portuguese midfielder has been in scintillating form of late and could cap it all with yet another treble.
RW: Antoine Semenyo—Semenyo's form has dipped slightly in recent weeks, but he may retain his starting berth ahead of Savinho on the strength of his earlier contributions.
AM: Rayan Cherki—Cherki has been the talk of the town over the past month. The elegant attacking midfielder produced a stunning goal against Arsenal last weekend and thrives on the biggest stages. Southampton, be warned.
LW: Jérémy Doku—Doku's explosive pace and trickery will pose a serious challenge for Southampton's defenders. At full speed, very few full backs can live with him, though his final ball still needs some polish.
ST: Erling Haaland—Haaland is yet to find the net at Wembley for City despite numerous appearances there. That record could be broken this weekend, as long as Guardiola doesn't opt to give his leading scorer a rest.